Back pedaling brake



' Patented Apr. 25, |399.

C. J. PIHL.

BACK PEDALING BRAKE.

.'Appueacion mea my 5, 189s.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

INVENTOR ma Nonms frans oo.. PuoTaLn'Ho., wAsmNGrcw, o. c.

No. 623,928. Patented Apr. 25, |899.

' C. J. PIHL.

BACK PEDALING BRAKE.

(Applicatign led May 5, 189B.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INT/'ENTOR WITNESSES c. J. PIHL.

BACK PEDALING BRAKE.

'A 1i n 'on md my 6, 189s.)

Patented Apr. 25, |899. l

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

WITNESSES IJV'VEJVTOR Nrrnn Sterns.-

CARL J. PIHL, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALEXANDER M. SU'IHERLAND, OF SAME PLACE.

BACK-PEDALING BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,928, dated April 25, 1899. Application filed May 5, 1898. Serial No. 679,837. (No model!) T0 all whom, it muy concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL J. PIHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, (Brooklym) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bicycle Brakes and Coasters, of-which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved bicycle-brake operated by the pedals and frictional devices for applying power to the wheel which will enable the pedals to be stopped' while the wheel continues in rotation; and my invention consists of the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my invention, with portions broken away, applied to a bicycle. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Figs. 3, 4t, 5, and 6 are modiiications of the frictional devices to be hereinafter described. Fig. '7 is a side view of a brake to be hereinafter referred to.

In said drawings, A represents a disk which is keyed or otherwise fixed to the crank-axle B, so as to revolve therewith and form the support 'or carrier for the clutch mechanism hereinafter specified. Opposing the disk A is a second or flanged disk O, which is fastened to said disk A by means of screws or other well-known devices, said disks A and O serving jointly to hold the sprocket-wheel D, which is made with a large central opening in place between them, the said disks having also inwardly-projecting interlocking annular iianges c d, whereby a strong, firm, and secure seat is formed between them to insure both disks being held rigidly together. The sprocket-wheel'has a snug fit between the disks, yet is free to revolve between them when the rider is coasting, and the disk O has a large opening in its center, in which is placed a loose ring E, from one side of which projects a stud, pin, orlug d', to which is connected an arm, rod, or link e, the opposite end of which is adapted for connection with a brake-shoe of any well-known'form. In the present instancefsee Fig. 7) I show this brakeshoe as consisting of an endless band lO and interposed wear-plate mounted in a hanger l2, pivotally suspended and normally held away from the tire by means of a spring, as shown, described, and claimed in my former application,Serial No. 675,924, filed March 3l, 1898; but other and well-known forms of brake-shoes and suspending devices may be used with the present construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, the main object being to devise a simple means whereby the backward movement of the pedals will apply the brake-shoe to the tireand thus retard the forward motion of the wheel. In order that such motion may be properly and effectively transmitted,'l employ a clutch mechanism, which I will now disclose. This clutch mechanism comprises a roller or rollers operating in a tapered or converging recess between the sprocket-wheel and the opposing surface of the disks and between the disks and the opposing surface of the ring. The clutch between the sprocketwheel and disk unite the two, so that they may rotate together in' the forward direction when propelling the wheel forward and disengage when the disk is moved backward, as in coasting or back pedaling. VVhereVer placed the effect is to produce a positive and strong clutch. The recesses may be in the disk, the sprocket-wheel, or the ring, and they contain the rollers, while the other or opposing part is smooth to form frictional contact with the rollers. The part which carries the rollers is formed with the recesses 14, in the base of which is secured a block or piece of hardened steel l5, which serves as a wear-plate and is made thicker at one end than at the other to provide a recess wider at one end than at the other. In each of these tapering recesses I place one or more rollers 16 or equivalent devices adapted to frictionally engage the smooth wall of the opposing member. From this arrangement it is manifest that when the crank-shaft is4 rotated by the pedals the sprocket-wheel will be carried in the same direction and the rollers 16 will be moved into the smaller or contracted end of their recesses 14, so as to insurea strong and' IOO positive clutch action between the sprocketwheel and disks; but if the pedals are now held against rotation the disks A and C are also held, the sprocket-wheel is permitted to continue its rotation, and the clutch-rollers move back into the deeper portions of their recesses, so as to remove the friction between the sprocket-wheel and the disks. In this latter condition the rider is free to coast with the pedals stationary. If it is desired to apply the brake-shoe to the tire, a backward movement of the crank-shaft is transmitted to the disks A and C, and the rollers between them and the ring are now acted upon by friction to cause them to ride into the reduced or contracted portion of their recesses, and thereby frictionally clutch and bind between the bearing-blocks or wear-plates l5 and the opposing surface of the ring. In other words, as the disks are moved backward by backpcdaling the clutch or clutches between the loose ring E and the inner periphery of the disk Cwill act, their rollers being carried forward into the contracted portions of their recesses to form a clutch with the ring and imparting to this loose ring the backward movelnent of the disks and crank-shaft, resulting in the bar, rod, or link e forcing the brakeshoe into contact with the tire.

In order to secure the loose ring E in place, I employ a ring F, internally threaded and adapted to screw into engagement with a threaded annular flange l, projecting from the diskA, said ring F having a peripheral flange or lip m. to engage a corresponding groove in the loose ring E, as show-n in Fig. 2.

The rollers 1G of the clutches may act directly against the opposing surface of the disk, as shown at g, Fig. l, or they may act against an interposed loose plate 7L, which serves to take up the wear of the opposing frictional parts. 'lhc use of these plates, and they may be used wherever desired, permits me to dispense with au unusual hardcniugof the surface of the disk or ring against which the rollers act. These plates h are curved to correspond with the curvature of the disks or ring, and they are enough shorter than the recesses lai, in which they operate, that they move forward to clutch the opposing surface or move backward to relieve the same, as circumstances require.

In Fig. l I show a series of rollers in cach recess, these rollers being of gradually-reducing diameters and being used in series for the purpose of dividing the frictional strain on them. If one roller only is used, it must stand all the strain, and there exists a liability of the roller being fractured or broken because of the great strain upon it; but when two, three, or more rollers are used for each recess they form a corrcspondil'ig number of points to which thc strain is distributed, eaeh roller, therefore, only resisting a pressure proportionate to the whole number of rollers used. Instead, however,

of using thc rollers in series I may use them singly with good effect. Thus in Fig. 3 I show single rollers in short tapered recesses, and if I desire to use but a single roller as the clutch member for the entire disk or ring it will be best to employ a springs, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose of holding the roller forward or into the more contracted portion of its recess and to prevent its rolling back into the enlarged or wider portion of therecess by gravity as the roller is rising with its disk or ring in an ascending arc; also, it is not absolutely essential that the series of rollers should be of decreasing or increasing diameters. Thus in Fig. 4; the rollers 4 are of uniform diameter, but used in series. To obtain the clutch effect, however, the recesses for such rollers should be divided by shoulders or offsets 17 into as many short tapering spaces as there are rollers. The result accomplished, whether the rollers be in the ring or disk or between any two opposing surfaces, one of which must of necessity be a smooth unbroken surface, is substantially the same in all cases. The same is substantially true when the form of clutch shown in Fig. 5 is used. In this instance, however, I dispense with rollers and substitute curved shoes or plates 18, the backs of which have sockets in which one end of one or more bars or plates l5) are fulcrumed, the opposite ends of said bars being fulcrumed to the opposite clutch-surface.

Another modification is shown in Fig. (5, where what I term a cradle-piece 2O is let into the recess in one of the clutch-surfaces and has an enlarged head 2l, the outer snrface of which is curved to correspond with the outer curvature of the disk or ring which carries it and is normally substantially [lush therewith. From the head 2l the eradicpiece is of reduced thickness and extends substantially at right angles and in a curved line, so that the central portion of its back or inner side contacts with and fulcrums upon the bottom wall of the recess in which the cradlepiece is placed, and its outer face forms,with the smooth surface of the ring, disk, or other opposing member of the clutch, a tapering opening or cavity 22, in which a roller (or rollers) is placed. In this forni of clutch when the disks and sprocket-wheel are rotating together in the same direction and approximately uniform speed the friction-surface of the head 2l is out of close contact with the opposing friction-surface; but when the disk is held stationary or moved backward by the pedals, as before described, the roller is caused to roll forward into the contracted part of its cavity, depressing the tail end of the cradle-piece, and thereby causing said piece to rock on its fulcrum in the base of the recess and the head end of the piece to be lifted into such intimate contact with the opposing clutch-surface that the desired friction is produced between said surface and cradle-piece.

In each of the forms of clutches herein men- IOO tioned one ot' the clutch-surfaces, whether it be the ring, the disk, sprocket-wheel, or other part, will have a smooth and unbroken surface to be engaged by the other member of the clutch, whether said last-named member be the rollers, the slices, or the cradle-piece.

In order that the sprocket-wheel may be fixed to the disk upon which it is mounted, which is desirable for persons j ust learning to ride, I provide a disk A with a lug or bearing n, within which a bolt o is mounted, the bolt being connected with a finger-piece p, by which it may be operated, wherebyit may be thrust into a hole made in the sprocket-wheel to make a rigid connection between the said wheel and the disks, or said bolt may be retracted by a spring to disconnect the parts and allow them to operate in coasting or backpedaling, as desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a bicycle, the combination of a disk fixed to the crank-shaft, a second disk fitted sidewise against the first-named disk and made rigid therewith, said disks separated from each other at their peripheries to form an annular channel, a sprocket having an open center and with its inner periphery slidably fitted in said channel, a clutch mechanism between the disks and sprocket wheel and normally holding them in frictional contact to enable the sprocket-wheel and disks to travel together in the same direction, and to enable said sprocket-wheel to continue in motion when the disks are held by the pedals, a loose ring interior to the second-named disk and in the vertical plane of the sprocketwheels and a removable ring interior to and in the vertical plane of said loose ring for holding the latter in place, a clutch mechanism between the loose ring and second-named disk whereby a backward movement of the disk causes its clutch to frictionally engage and lock the ring to the disks, and a brake and connections operated by the backward movement of the ring.

2. In a bicycle, the combination of companion disks iitted together sidewise one of said disks fixed to the crank-shaft and the other disk having an open center, and both disks separated at their peripheries'to form a channel or guide, a sprocket-Wheel having its interior iitted to slide in said channel or guide and a clutch mechanism between said wheel and disks, a ring loosely mounted on the disks and in the vertical plane of the sprocket-wheel, a stationary ring concentric with the loose ring and removably fitted to one of the disks, for retaining the loose ring in place, means for connecting the loose ring with a brake device, and a clutch mechanism between the said ring and one of the disks whereby the rearward movement of the ring causes the said clutch to hold the ring to the disk in a locked condition while the sprocketwheel continues in motion. A

3. In a bicycle, the combination of companion disks fitted together sidewise and having interlocking annular flanges projecting from their inner faces, and a peripheral channel or groove between their outer edges, a sprocket-wheel slidably fitted in said channel, 'a ring slidably fitted interior to one of said disks, a flanged screw-ring concentric with and in the vertical plane of the slidable ring for holding it in place upon the other disk,oppositely-operating clutch mechanisms between the disks and sprocket-wheel and between one of said disks andthe ring whereby the wheel and disks rotate together when one of said clutch mechanisms is operating and the ring is stationary, and the disks and ring rotate together and in opposition to the wheel when power is applied to the ring and the other clutch mechanism is operating.

.4. In a bicycle, the combination of companion disks fixed together and one of which is fixed to the crank-shaft, a loose sprocketwheel fitted between the outer edges of said disks, a ring loosely fitted within the inner periphery of one of said disks and a removable locking-ring engaging the other disk and holding the loose ring in position, oppositelyoperating clntch devices between the disks and sprocket-wheel and between one of said disks and the loose ring anda brake and conopposing the first-named one, an open center sprocket-wheel mounted to rotate between said disks, a ring loosely mounted on the disks, a ring internally threaded and adapted to screw into engagement with the projecting flange of the first-named disk, and having a flange or lip to retain the loose ring in place, a brake-shoe and a connection from the loose ring to said shoe, a roller-clutch between the disks and sprocket-wheel, whereby they rotate together in one direction and one member moves freely on the other member when said other memberis held against movement, or is moved in a direction opposite to the rotation of its companion member, and a similar clutch between the disks and the loose ring, locking said disk and ring rigid on the backward movement of the former whereby the ring moves backward with the disk and applies the brake-shoe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL J. PIIIL.

Vitnesses:

Jos. L. ULLo, P. J. MCLEAN.

ICG

IIO 

